The Phone Call
by GoddessofSnark
Summary: Danny calls CJ to tell her something...


Jeannette

Iluvg33ks@imabadlittlegirl.com

The Phone Call

Romance/Angst

CJ/Danny

PG-13

Disclaimer:They all belong to Aaron Sorkin. Not me. I want Danny though…and Sam…

He tagged along behind her pestering about her most recent press briefing.  She had her usual "No comment" but that didn't deter him. He followed her right into her office and closed the door behind him. "Danny, you do this every day. You follow me in her, pester me, and today is wendsday, I know what you're going to ask next, if you must know, I am going out on Friday night, and that seeing you would be a conflict of interest. How many more times do I have to tell you?" He sighed.

"You can never tell me enough times CJ. I'm very stubborn, you have to tell me every single time." 

"Danny, I've got a date on Friday, and it's not with you." He looked extremely hurt and walked out of her office without another word. She immediately cursed herself for being so blunt with him. She hadn't wanted to go out with John, but she didn't want another republican hating her or the rest of the Bartlet administration. She hated to admit it to herself, but she would much rather go out with Danny than some congressman she didn't even know existed, but she had to to save face.

Danny seemed out of it over the course of the next days press briefing, advoiding her, and only asking one question, the rest of the time he seemed distant, and certainly not focused on her like he usually was. She wanted to ask him what was wrong, but he disappeared before she could. She shrugged it off, but became more concerned when the same thing happened the next day. Usually when she told him off he would go and brood for a few hours but would be better by the end of the day, or the next day's press briefings at the least. It was unlike him to be so unfocused and sullen. 

At the end of the day on Friday, she half heartedly went to look for Danny. One of his coworkers told her that he had left for the day. She sighed and walked out the door, heading to her house. She cleaned herself up and changed into a slightly revealing dress. She was just getting into her car when her cell phone rang, she looked down and grimaced. "Hello?" she knew the number that was calling her, but she still felt that she needed the formalities. 

"CJ?" The voice replied, slightly slurred. 

"Danny, what do you want?"

"When's your _date_." He put extra emphasis on the last word, making sure that it stood out. She could hear how thick his voice was with the liquor. 

"I'm on my way there now."

"I love you." 

"I know Danny."

"I had to tell you that. I need to let you know. I love you so much it hurts CJ. And I can't stand this anymore." CJ cursed as found herself at a traffic light. "What's wrong honey?" 

"Danny, what are you doing?" she said calmly, turning her car around. She could forget her date for now. 

"I can't stand this anymore CJ. I can't stand seeing you every day."

"What are you doing?" He laughed. 

"What are you doing?" he echoed, still chuckling. She loved his laugh, but right now she was too afraid for him to really enjoy it.

"Trying to figure out what you're doing." 

"What about your _date?_" again, the emphasis on the word. 

"It can wait." 

"Are you saying I'm more important?" CJ had reached his apartment. She rang the buzzer.

"I'm saying for you to let me in, that's what." She heard the door unlock and she rushed in, and swept up to his apartment. She knocked softly on his door. "Danny let me in." She said into her phone. The door unlocked, and she hung up her phone. "Danny, what the hell is going on?" he hugged her tightly as she closed her door. 

"CJ. I love you." He was hugging her near to the point of suffocation. He reeked of alcohol and she saw one empty vodka on the table and another half finished. He kissed her deeply and sloppily. "I love you too much. I can't stand to see you with anyone else, and I don't want to intrude on your happiness."

"So you're drinking your problems away?" 

"More than that." It was then she saw the odd array of items that joined the vodka, a knife, a rope, and a gun. "I just had to call to say goodbye CJ. I can go in peace now."

"Danny…" she let her voice trail off. She knew Danny cared deeply for her, but she never thought he cared that much.

"CJ, it's best this way. I can't handle seeing you up there every day, knowing that I can't have you. I can't stand to see you with anyone else, but I want you to be happy. I want both of us to be happy. And I can't be happy when I can't have you. You at least have a chance for happiness."

"Danny…"

"Don't 'Danny' me, CJ. Just let this happen." Her emotions were running a full gamut. 

"Danny, no, you can't."

"Why can't I Claudia Jean Cregg? Loving you hurts too much. I've gotten beaten to within an inch of my life on the job, and even that didn't hurt as much as this. I've spent 3 weeks in the hospital with a leg in traction and 3 broken ribs, and that was a bruise compared to this. I can't stand the pain."

"Well you're not the only one who's hurting over this Danny, maybe you could think of how hard it is for me sometime!" There, she said it. She couldn't contain herself anymore. She snapped, screaming at him, proving a point that she needed to prove not only to him, but to herself. She finally admitted to herself that she loved him. 

"What do you mean?"

"You're not the only one who's in love Danny. I love you, but I can't have you.I don't want to love you because I don't want to hurt. It's why I keep pushing you away. Dammit Danny, I love my job, but I hate this." She gestured between them to prove her point. 

"you love me?" He sounded shocked, like a lost little boy. "Y-you really mean that?"

"Danny, I love you. And I mean it." 

"So what are we going to do?" he collapsed on to the couch, pulling her down with him. 

"Wait til you're sober. Then we can figure things out."

"That's my CJ, always analytical."

"Danny, you do realize that we still can't have a relationship?"

"We can CJ. If I'm not a reporter."

"That means you have to give up your job."

"You know how many other papers will pick me up as an editor. I've gotten an offer for TIME! Claudia Jean, if I take that job, will you go out with me?"

"I'd go out with you right now if I could." He grinned a chesire cat grin. 

"I love you CJ. I love you Claudia Jean Cregg. I can't live without you. I love you."

"I love you too Danny, I love you too."

FIN


End file.
